Bookstore tailgate

Schuler hosts novel fundraiser for Haven House tonight

Spartan football fans won’t have to crash
the tailgate party tonight at Schuler Books in the Eastwood Towne
Center — everyone’s invited. The store will feature sample recipes from
the third edition of “Tailgating on the Banks of the Red Cedar”
cookbook, with proceeds going to East Lansing’s Haven House. More than
15 recipe contributors are bringing samples of their dishes for
tastings.

“Tailgating on the Banks of the Red
Cedar” has some advantages over its predecessors: it’s in full color,
has more recipes (including international dishes) and is 50 pages longer
than previous editions. The cookbooks sales help Haven House, a
non-profit celebrating its 30th year of providing emergency shelter for
homeless families. Haven House receives up to 20 percent of its annual
budget from the fundraiser, according to executive director Angie
Mayeaux.

“It’s huge for us,” she said.

Mayeaux said the money is used to
supplement services and pay for security deposits and first-month rent
for families. Approximately 500 adults and children are housed each
year.

Carol Brownell, a Haven House board
member who volunteers for the project, said the vast majority of this
year’s content was gathered from tailgaters at the first two games of
the season, when volunteers circulated among them asking for recipes and
to have them tell their stories.

“It’s amazing to me that people are so willing to help us,” Brownell said. “After all, we are crashing their parties.”

Those attending the “Tailgating on the
Banks of the Red Cedar” release party are asked to bring a
non-perishable food donation for the Greater Lansing Food Bank to taste
the samples.

In
addition, three other MSU alumni authors will be on hand to discuss and
sell their book: “The Tradition Continues: Spartan Football,” by
Constantine S. Demos & Stephen S. Demos, a 624-page book (with
nearly 2,000 illustrations) covering 124 years of football highlights;
“The Spartan Life,” by Scott Westerman, is a collection of MSU-inspired
observations; and “Arrogance and Scheming in the Big 10,” by Dr. David
J. Young, is an intriguing look at MSU’s controversial entrance into the
Big Nine in 1950.

Brownell said that Haven House
appreciates the involvement of the MSU Alumni Association and its
director, Scott Westerman, who wrote the foreword to this year’s
cookbook. Mayeaux, who became director six years ago, said she is
impressed with the community’s willingness to support homeless families.

“We’re always full,” she said describing the occupancy at the shelter, which has seven bedrooms and 28 beds.

The new cookbook will be available at
Schuler Books and other area bookstores, online from Haven
House.havenhouseel.org as well as at the Breslin Center and MSU Stadium.

Mayeaux said, in addition to valuable funding, the tailgate cookbook has been important in putting a public face on the shelter.

“People know who we are now and nothing helped us as much as the cookbook,” she said.